I love peonies. They may be my favorite garden flower ever. (My Sarah Bernhardts are budding up outside right now, and I’m so excited.)

I’m not sure what flowers you’re familiar with, but I’ll have a shot at describing the scent of peonies. It is rosy and fresh, but sweeter and lighter than most roses (and roses vary so much in their scents that I hesitate to even mention them), something between rose and freesia, but more heavenly.

Perfumery peony is entirely synthesized, I think, and although it’s nice, it doesn’t smell like real peonies to me – too bright, too relentlessly cheerful. Also it’s probably been overused.

I love peonies. I am not sure if I have ever smelt the perfume peony. Peoneve sounds very nice. I have peonies in my garden, but they’ve stopped flowering since replanting. Such fussy flowers. A friend told me that I have to speak to them if they are to bloom again!

Robin is correct, they don’t like to be moved but should recover within 2 years. If you planted them longer ago than that and they still haven’t bloomed the most common problem is you planted them too deep. They need to be planted at exactly the same depth as before, the crowns right at the surface. (sort of like iris roots) I made this err myself so speak from experience. This fall, dig up, knock dirt off the top to expose the crown and replant at correct level. Peonies are very long lived and will come back and bloom for you for decades. I replanted peonies from my grandparents farm that were over 50 years old, they continue to look stunning.